The Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), the Nuremberg University of Applied Sciences Georg Simon Ohm (Ohm) and MAN Truck & Bus are joining forces to conduct joint research into the future of mobility.
The Campus Future Driveline study operates at the MAN site in Nuremberg. The laboratories were officially opened on 6th April 2023, in the presence of Prof. Dr. Siegfried Russwurm, President of the Federation of German Industries (BDI) and Marcus König, Lord Mayor of the City of Nuremberg.
The Campus Future Driveline is a triple alliance that shares existing infrastructure and creates new laboratories on the factory premises in Nuremberg. The conversion of the laboratories started in 2022, and the first Ohm students will move into their workplaces there in summer 2022. The space vacated by MAN in buildings A3, A5, and A8 is now used by the Campus Future Driveline.
The collaboration aims to create synergies between science and industry and to jointly commit to the further development of fossil-free and future-proof drives. The laboratories will be used for joint research projects, shared use of specialised test benches and measuring equipment, and teaching and further education within the framework of lectures and teaching modules.
The first joint projects of the Campus Future Driveline have already been started or put into practice. The MAN Academy, an internal further education institution, received a technical lecture on “Hydrogen” written by Prof. Dr. Michael Wensing from FAU. An introductory course on the subject of “hydrogen and fuel cells” has also been developed at Ohm Professional School.
During the opening ceremony, Alexander Vlaskamp, Chairman of the Executive Board of MAN Truck & Bus, said that the Campus Future Driveline was another milestone in the transformation of the site. He stated that this is where the most efficient diesel engines were and are already being created and where the most economical battery packs, fuel cells, and electric engines will be developed and produced in the future with scientific support.
Prof. Dr. Niels Oberbeck, President of the Georg Simon Ohm University of Applied Sciences, believes that the cooperation will help the students gain insights into content and new technologies that would not be possible without the interaction of companies, university, and university. Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Joachim Hornegger, President of FAU, explained that without new and above all sustainable forms of mobility, the transport revolution would not succeed. He added that the close cooperation between science and industry is essential for this.
The Campus Future Driveline is an excellent example of cooperation between industry and academia. The use of existing resources and collaboration on research projects is vital for achieving sustainable and environmentally friendly transportation solutions. By working together, the three partners can pool their knowledge and resources to create innovative and efficient mobility solutions for the future.
